Car-brake



(No Model.)

RERB. l CAR BRAKE.

1\I0.554,113..A I l Patentedeb, 1896.

ANDREW B.GRAHAM.PHOTD-UTMO WASHINGTQPLDC UNITED STATES PATENT firmen.

PARIS ERB, OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,113, dated February4, 1896.

Applieationvled September 4, 1894. Serial No. 521,983. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, PARIS ERB, a citizen of the United States, residingat Lancaster, in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Brakes; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in a car-brake of that class inwhich the motion of a rotating axle or wheel is utilized to draw thewell-known brake mechanism, applying the brake-shoes to the peripheriesofthe revolving car-wheels, being operative from either end of the car.

The object of the invention is to sensitively check or control the speedof a running car, or to suddenly stop it, when so desired, doing thiswith greater ease, yet more effectively, than could heretofore be done.

The elements of the invention, as well as the functions they perform,will clearly appear in the following description and will be separatelyset forth in the claims.

The purposes of the invention are attained by the mechanism and devicesillustrated in the accompanying drawings, similar letters and figures ofreference designating like parts throughout the several views, in whichFigures 1 and 2 are a plan and side elevation of a brake system appliedto the runninggear of a four-wheeled car with the elements of theinvention in normal or free position on the right, but the brake-beamhangers are omitted in the drawings; and Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9are enlarged views showing details in the construction.

The brake-beams 1, the shoes 2, the rods 3, 3, and 3, the levers 4 and5, the leverhangers G and 6, the chains '7 and 7', the hand-lever S, andthe hand-wheel shaft 9 are all of well-known construction, arranged asshown, and secured in position to the body of the car in any approvedmanner, but they form no part of the present invention, the elements ofwhich will now be described.

The chief feature of this invention is the use of a friction-clutch A ofpeculiar construction, consisting of two portions, a fixed 'member A anda movable or loose member A2, a fixed collar B and a shipping bar orbeam C, by means of which said loose member is brought into contact withsaid fixed member, as well as in the novel arrangement of the chains Dand D, by means of which said clutch performs its functions.

The fixed member A of the clutch A is a disk or body, circular in plan,Fig. 4, conically hollow, as shown, Fig. 3, and rigidly secured in placeto the back of a car-wheel by means of nuts and bolts A3 and screws A4.The loose member A2, Figs. 3 and 5, movable back and forth on the axle,is in the form of the frustum of a right cone fitting the conical hollowof the fixed member into which it is adapted to be pressed, forming africtional contact therewith, whereby said clutch per forms itsfunctions. This member is provided on its -back with a, hub-likeprojection A5, having a drum portion a, on which the chains wind to drawthe brake, a V-shaped ring portion a to receive the action of theshipper, yet to be described, with a groove 0.2 between said drum andring, and a cylindrical extension a3, rearward from the latter tosupport said shipper as it performs its functions. In the sloping facesof both members of the clutch at prescribed intervals apart are placedradial recesses a4, forming openings the whole way through said facesfor the free admission of air therethrough and for the ready egress ofdirt and wearings that may result from the rubbing contact of the clutchmembers when their faces are brought together.

In the construction shown in Fig. 3, and as indicated by dotted linesa5, the contact-faces of the clutch members may be provided with ringportions fitted thereto and secured in place to said members by screws,(not shown in the drawings,) to be readily removed and replaced by newones whenever they become worn awayor prove to be otherwise defective.In this construction the fixed member is shown to be secured in place tothe car-wheel by bolts and nuts and tapped screws, This construction maybe varied without involving any new invention, for this member may bemade integral with the wheel at the time of casting, or it may beprovided with la hub within the hollow portion thereof and secured inplace to the axle by means of set-screws tapped through said hub. Bothof these con- IOO structions are so evident that their separateillustration was deemed superfluous.

Two chains D and D have their forward ends secured on opposite sides of,one above and the other below, thewinding-drums, as at I) and b', havetheir other ends joined and secured to the forward end of the rod 3,conneet the clutch with the brake-rigging, all as shown in Figs. l and2.

At a prescribed point, rearward from this loose member of the clutch, isplaced the col lar B, having on its inner end a V-shaped ring portion b,similar in size and form to the ring portion a before mentioned, also torcceive the action of said shipper; and at its rearward end is a hubextension b', through which a set-screw 3 serves to rigidly secure saidcollar to the axle.

The clutch-shipper C is of special construction, comprising an oblongloop portion C', a hood or bonnet portion C2, and an arm or connectingportion C3, all arranged, combined and secured in position as shown inFigs. l, 2, i3, (5, 7 and S. rl`he loop portion C is practicallyV-shaped in cross-section, inwardly sloping, movable to and fro in theV, Fig. 3, formed between the ring a of the clutch member A2 and thering i) of the collar B, the extension a3 of the former being within theob long opening, Fig. 8, of said portion C to prevent its parallel edgesc and c from wearing into the axle upon which said clutch member moves,while its rear end is provided with a \\\cdgeshaped lune c to force theclutch members into contact as the shipper is drawn forward between saidrings. The hood portion C2, within the hollow thereof, is made in tegralwith the forward end of said loop and, extending over the rings, itsside edges are provided with inwardly-projecting ribs c2 to engage theirouter faces, said hood is adapted to withdraw the clutch members,keeping them from contacting as said shipper is pushed rearward. The armportion C3 has its rear end integrally secured on the outside to thecenter of the hood, and its forward end provided with a hook c3, Fig. 4,by means of which it is joined to the end oi the lever 4, to which endis also secured the rear end of the chain 7 connecting the hand-lever S,Figs. l and 2.

To push the shipper rearward any spring, or such as the two-armedbar-spring E, may be secured to the hanger 6 of the lever 4 in such amanner that its downwardly-projected extremities e and e will engage thevertical edges of said lever to move it in the direction indicated bythe arrows 10, Figs. 9 and l.

Now, the elements hereinbefore described and occupying the severalpositions indicated in the drawings, an inspection thereof clearly showsthat by reason of the hand-lever and hand wheel the device is operativefrom either end of the car, which may be running in either direction;that pulling the handlever rearward or turning the hand-wheel eitherwa-y draws the shipper forward be tween the loose clutch member and thefixed collar; that this forward movement of said shipper brings itslune-shaped wedge into en gagement with the V-shaped rings of saidmember and said collar; that this engagement of said wedge forces theloose member of the clutch outward into contact with the fixed memberthereof that this contact rotates said loose member and winds the chainsD or D on its winding-drum according to the direction in which the caris ruiming; that this winding of either chain draws the upper end of thecentral brake-lever forward, causes the brake-beam to approach thewheels, and applies the brake-shoes to the peripheries oi' said wheels.

It may here be observed that the collar B, being fixed in position onthe axle and the wedge c coming in contact with its ring l, presses theloose member into the fixed member of the clutch with great force, thatthe diameter of the frictional contact of the clutch members beinggreater than the diameter of the winding-drum there is greatly increasedpower in applying the brake to the wheels, that the windingchains beingsecured to the loose member beyond the periphery of its winding-drumtakes up the slack on said chains before said drum begins to wind them,and that should either chain break the other will remain to apply thebrakes.

The invention having now been described and the manner in which itperforms its funetions fully ascertained, what is considered new, anddesired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

l. In a earbrake of the character described, the friction-clutchcomprising: the fixed mem ber secured to a wheel or axle of said car,the loose member contacting with the said fixed member and movable backand forth on the axle of said wheel, the windingwdrum of less diameterthan the diameter of the frictional Contact of the clutch members andintegral with the back of said loose member, said back adapted atopposite points beyond the diameter of said drum to have secured theretothe rear extremities of the winding-chains connecting said clutch withthe brake mechanism, and means provided to ship said loose member,substantially as described and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

2. In a car-brake of the character described, the friction-clutchcomprising a fixed, and a loose, member 5 having contact-faces 5 theradial recesses, at prescribed intervals, in said faces the fixed membersecured to a wheel or axle of the car and the loose member movable baekand'forth on said axle, contacting with said fixed member 5 thewinding-drum, about said axle, having one end secured to the back ofsaid loose member having chain connections with the brake mechanism ofthe car 5 the drum diameter shorter than the diametcr of saidcontact-faces5 and mechanism provided to ship said loose member intocontact with said fixed member, to withdraw the IOO IIO

same, and to hold it from contacting, substantially as described and forthe purpose hereinbefore set forth.

3. In a car-brake of the character described, the shipper C, comprisingthe oblong loop C', V-shaped in cross-section, inwardly sloping, havingthe inner parallel edges c, and the rear end wedge-shaped lune c',widened at the center; the hood C2 attached within its hollow to theforward end of saidloop, and having the introverted side edge ribs c2;and the arm C3, having its rear end affixed to the back of said hood andat its forward end the attachinghook c3; all substantially as describedand for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

4. The combination in a car-brake of the character described, with theclutch A having the xed member A' secured to a wheel or axle of the carand the loose member A2, provided with chain connections with thebrakerigging and having the hub extension A5 with the winding-drum a,the V-shaped ring d', the intermediate groove a2, and the cylindricalend bearing a3, movable back and forth on the axle of said wheel; thefixed collar B having the V-shaped ring b and the rear end hub b",

on the same axle, and set-screws B tapped through said hub into saidaxle; of the shipper C, comprising the oblongloop C,Vshaped incross-section and inwardly sloping, having the inner parallel edges c,and the rear end wedge-shaped lune d, with the widened center, theretaining-hood C2 affixed within its hollow to the forward end of saidloop and having the introverted side edge retainingribs c2, and theconnecting-arm C3, having its rear end attached to the back of saidhood, and having at its forward end the hook c3; said shipper, O, bymeans of said hook, c3, secured to the end of the lever 4; allsubstantially as described and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

' cured to the shipper-arm and brake-rigging as shown, of the two-armedbar-spring, E, secured to said hanger, and having the extremities, e ande, of its arms in engagement with the vertical edges of said lever, allsubstantially as described and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

G. In a car-brake of the character described, in combination, thefriction-clutch A, comprising the fixed member A' with the securingbolts and nuts A3 and the screws A4, and the loose member A2, with thehub extension A5 having the winding-drum a-the shipperengaging ring theintermediate groove a2-and the shipper-bearing d3, said members havingthe friction contact-faces with the radial recesses a4, said loosemember having the chain connection with the brake mechanism, and saidwinding-drum having a less diameter than the diameter of saidcontact-faces; the fixed collar B having the shipper-engaging ring b andthe hub b' with the set-screw B; the shipper C, comprising the oblongloop C having the inner parallel edges c and c and the centrally-widenedWedge-shaped lune c', the hood C2 having the introverted side Yedge ribsc2, the arm C3 having the attaching-hook c3; the lever 4 havingconnection with the hand-lever 8 and the hand-wheel shaft 9; and thespring E having the extremities e and e; all arranged and secured inposition as shown and described, substantially as and for the purposehereinbefore set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PARIS ERB. Vitnesses PAUL A. HERR,

EDWIN BOOKMYER.

